Summer is right around the corner and I’ve been craving a fresh salad. I recently put together this salad using ingredients I happened to have in my fridge and pantry. Lately I’ve been buying spinach for my greens so I switched it up and went with kale. I used to just use kale in my smoothies until I learned how to “massage” the kale to have it in a salad. It makes it way easier to chew since it softens it up. What a game changer. So much better!

Why is this a “superfood” salad? Let’s discuss real quick. Kale has tons of vitamins, antioxidants, omega 3’s and actually has more calcium per calorie than dairy foods. It’s easy to add to smoothies as well as salads. Now that I’ve been trying to limit dairy, that gives me more reason to eat the kale.

Quinoa is an excellent form of protein which contains all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein source. It also has iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamin E. Quinoa takes less time to cook than rice and has a subtle light flavor.

I consider myself lucky if there are any blueberries left in my fridge for me to eat. My kids looove all kinds of berries so it’s not often that I’m left with any. So when there are some, I like to use them wisely. In this salad is one of those times. Blueberries have plenty of vitamins and minerals and contain antioxidants which are good for fighting disease and supporting the nervous system.

If you’re not eating avocado-why? It’s one of the best healthy fats out there helping support heart health and lower cholesterol. It contains many vitamins, minerals and fiber and helps keep you satiated after a meal. It has a great creaminess to it so I often don’t even use salad dressing when I have avocado. Adding a little sea salt helps bring out the flavor.

Walnuts are rich in folate and contain a good amount of omega 3’s for a healthy fat option. I love the crunch the walnuts give in salads and use them often. Goat cheese is so creamy and goes amazing in not only salads but egg bakes as well. Beets finish off this salad powerhouse with a good source of calcium, magnesium and vitamins C and A.

SO MUCH GOOD STUFF IN THIS SALAD! MAKE IT! The recipe below can be made for 2 people (or just you- I won’t judge. I ate it all myself too). If you’re making it for a crowd simply double the recipe!

You can’t really beat a good bowl of creamy oatmeal in the morning. I love having a nutrient filled bowl of oats to get me fueled for the day, but also need protein to satisfy me for a few hours. Here is where the egg whites come in. Oatmeal has a good source of carbohydrates to give me energy and a decent amount of fiber but I know protein is what I need to feel full longer. Cooking the egg whites into the oats is easy (stir consistently due to sticking) and can hardly be tasted depending on your toppings.

I’ve been getting weirder with my oatmeal lately and have started adding veggies to it. I know, WTF am I thinking? But I like to get them in where I can and if I can’t really taste them I call it a win. The basis of how I cook oatmeal is the same whether I add shredded zucchini or frozen chopped cauliflower. The toppings are where I like to switch it up depending on what I have/am in the mood for. I find the toppings help mask the veggies and eggs a bit too. Especially granola.

This bowl above is made with the same egg white base and water but includes some shredded zucchini with the water drained. I shred the zucchini into a paper towel then ring it out to get the extra water out. The zucchini goes into the oats so they cook at the same time. I topped it with purely elizabeth chocolate sea salt granola, flax seeds, banana and white chocolate peanut butter. The salt from the granola tastes soo good with the oats and peanut butter.

This bowl above has shredded, frozen cauliflower cooked into the oats and egg whites with water. I topped it with plain greek yogurt, flax seeds, purely elizabeth granola again and strawberries. It was more of a creamy texture than the peanut butter but I like this just as much. The yogurt with strawberries are a great combination together and gives it a nice creamy texture.

Sometimes you just don’t want to bother with the veggies. I get it- it’s kinda weird at first to get used to them. This bowl doesn’t have any veggies. But I still added the egg whites. I used plain greek yogurt for some extra protein and purely elizabeth blueberry hemp granola, chia seeds, frozen blueberries and bananas.

I love to eat oats before going to the gym to give me the energy I need to feel good and push through a tough workout. Protein in my meals is just as important so I like to use real food sources when I can (instead of protein powder, since I have them during/after my workout). Give these oats a try for a healthy fueled breakfast!

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I'm a busy boymom to these little guys and wife to my awesome husband who lets me do what I want so I don't go crazy. As a personal trainer and health coach, I created this site to share my healthy eating recipes I make to stay fueled up for life. My hope is that you find inspiration in my meals to see the ease and fun of creating healthy food for yourself as well as your family.